Paper vs. plastic? Gateway 1st graders decorate bags to encourage environmental choice
This time each year, first grade teacher Kassandra Poliziani asks her students at Gateway School District’s Dr. Cleveland Steward Jr. Elementary to decorate brown paper bags. But they don’t keep the colorful bags. Instead, they actually return them to two local stores to encourage shoppers to make environmentally sound choices....
Man caught with 9 pounds of heroin in 2016 sentenced to 6½ years in prison
A native of the Dominican Republic who was caught with 9 pounds of heroin in 2016 but escaped back to his homeland only to be extradited was sentenced this week for his crimes. Habys Omar Meran, 38, was sentenced to 6½ years in federal prison for possession of drugs with...
Principals: 2 kids brought 6 small knives to Kiski Area Intermediate School; no threats made
Two Kiski Area Intermediate School students brought six small knives to school with them “in order to show them off to one another” on Wednesday afternoon, according to a statement released by the school’s principals. “The investigation, thus far, has not uncovered any threat — either in person or through...
Pittsburgh region sees lowest presidential primary turnout since 2012
It’s not your imagination if your polling place seemed emptier than usual on Tuesday. This week’s primary ranks as one of the sleepiest in recent memory during a presidential election year in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Not since 2012 have the counties seen lower voter turnout for a primary when...
‘You never think something you are doing is going to take off’: Greensburg Night Market returns for 6th season
When Jessica Hickey launched the Greensburg Night Market in 2019, 28 vendors lined half a block of South Pennsylvania Avenue. Starting its sixth season Thursday, the night market series has expanded to feature food trucks, live music and more than 150 food, beverage, art and craft vendors. Each market —...
Allegheny County courts bar controversial district judge from presiding over arraignments
In an unusual move, officials have barred a district judge in Pittsburgh from overseeing the stage in court proceedings when bail is first set for criminal defendants. The decision by Allegheny County court administrators to prevent Xander Orenstein from presiding over arraignments comes after Orenstein earlier this month released on...
Morningside VFW to host 15th Fish Rodeo in O’Hara for hospitalized vets, those in care homes
It doesn’t get much better than a day at the park, fishing for blue gill and barbecue grilling with friends. Just ask veteran Thomas Stubler, a resident in the VA Pittsburgh Community Living Center. He is among the 100 or so hospitalized veterans who are treated every year to an...
Westmoreland politicos put primary in the past, look ahead to November
A day after only 30% of Westmoreland County’s voters cast ballots in a sleepy primary with few contested races, local political leaders said Wednesday they are setting their sights on what they expect to be a rugged general election campaign. Even with just a handful of down-ballot races on the...
Will TikTok survive in the U.S.? ‘It’s not over till it’s over’
The clock is ticking on the fate of the wildly popular TikTok social media app after the U.S. Senate voted this week in favor of legislation that could potentially result in its ban in the United States, and a local lawmaker and an IT expert have differing opinions on concerns...
Order plants for Northern Tier Library sale
Preorder deadline is May 3 for the Northern Tier Regional Library’s plant and garden sale. The sale is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 17 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 18. Choose from hundreds of annuals, herbs, hanging baskets and more, and have it all waiting...
Penn Hills to celebrate Arbor Day with tree plantings in Universal Park, seedling giveaways
The Penn Hills Shade Tree Commission is hosting an Arbor Day celebration from 2 to 4 p.m. May 4 in Universal Park. Mayor Pauline Calabrese will read a Penn Hills Arbor Day proclamation, which will kick off an afternoon of tree plantings around the new pavilions, crafts for children, native...
UPMC is shedding 1,000 jobs
Pittsburgh-based health care giant UPMC said Wednesday it is cutting 1,000 jobs because of post-pandemic challenges. The reductions will impact just over 1% of UPMC’s more than 100,000-member workforce systemwide, according to Paul Wood, vice president and chief communications officer. “The entire health care industry continues to face the realities...
Pittsburgh council member cancels closed-doors meeting amid experts’ concerns about transparency
A Pittsburgh City Council member has canceled a closed-doors meeting scheduled for next week following a TribLive report that such private gatherings might violate the spirit of the Sunshine Act, Pennsylvania’s open meetings law. The session called by Councilman Bob Charland, D-South Side, had been on council’s calendar since March...
New Kensington building appearing in Kevin Smith movie ‘Dogma’ turned into rental home
Yes, it has central air. And as many a demon might say, there is “No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater than central air.” Those who recognize that quote from Jason Lee’s character, Azrael, in the 1999 Kevin Smith movie “Dogma” might be among those most interested in knowing...
Manor singer-songwriter set to release 1st single from debut album
During his day, Matt Pitschman of Manor tries to take note of any interesting or catchy phrases he hears, tucking them away in case they might develop into a new song someday. Pitschman, 36, is getting ready to release the first song from his debut record, “Long Road to Heaven,”...
Stage Right’s ‘Jersey Boys’ finds harmony with Broadway actor
A little slice of Broadway is coming to Greensburg. Russell Fischer, who first played the role of young Joe Pesci on Broadway in “Jersey Boys,” will star in Stage Right’s upcoming rendition of the award-winning jukebox musical — this time as lead vocalist Frankie Valli. The show, scheduled at Greensburg’s...
Pro-Palestine encampment with Pitt students enters 3rd day in Oakland
University of Pittsburgh students and others entered a third day of a pro-Palestine demonstration Thursday morning with a growing encampment at Schenley Plaza across from the Cathedral of Learning. The encampment included over 30 tents. They were surrounded by small Palestinian flags and banners reading, “Stop The Genocide” and “Ceasefire...
Westmoreland happenings: Fishing derby, strawberry festival, pork and sauerkraut dinner, more
Art • Latrobe Art Center will host an opening reception for the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society’s annual member exhibit “Waterworks” at 2 p.m. April 27 at the center, 819 Ligonier St., Latrobe. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served, and many of the artists will be on hand. The exhibit will...
Pine-Richland students earn trip to Robotics World Championship
Four Pine-Richland students earned a bid to the FIRST Robotics World Championship April 17-20 in Houston, Texas. Senior Ryan Scott, junior Prisha Dargan, and eighth graders Piya Dargan and Keerthana Visveish compete through BrainSTEM Learning on the Giant Diencephalic BrainSTEM Robotics Team, named for a part of the human brain....
American Lung Association ranks Pittsburgh metro area among nation’s most polluted
The American Lung Association ranked the Pittsburgh metro area among the worst in the nation for pollution in a report released Tuesday. The annual ‘State of the Air’ report named the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton metro area one of the worst in the nation for year-round particle pollution. The Pittsburgh metro area...
Pittsburgh man arrested in connection with ethnic intimidation incidents on North Side
Pittsburgh police have arrested a Perry North man in connection with several ethnic intimidation incidents reported in April in the city’s Mexican War Streets neighborhood. Mario J. Ashkar, 36, was charged with ethnic intimidation, criminal mischief, theft by unlawful taking and disorderly conduct, according to court documents. An unnamed victim...
‘Flora’ statue unveiled as Pittsburgh’s 1st to depict woman of color
Pittsburgh officials on Tuesday unveiled the newest addition to the city’s art collection: a bronze sculpture in the Highland Park entry garden. The statue, part of the city’s Art in Parks program, is the first to depict a woman of color in the city’s art collection. Titled “Flora,” the statue...
Morning Roundup: 1 injured in Homewood West shooting; Hartwood Acres brush fire under investigation
Here are some of the latest news items from this morning, Wednesday, April 24: 1 injured in Homewood West shooting One person was injured and two others were detained after a shooting Tuesday in Pittsburgh’s Homewood West neighborhood. Police responded to a one-round ShotSpotter alert in the 6900 block of...
The Stroller, April 24, 2024: Events in the Alle-Kiski Valley
Publicize your non-profit’s community events, fundraisers and club meetings for free in The Stroller. Send information at least two weeks in advance to vndnews@triblive.com or The Stroller, 210 Wood St., Tarentum PA 15084. Please include a daytime telephone number. Taste of Two Towns event to benefit Oakmont Carnegie Library Oakmont...
Police regionalization on the table in Kiski Township ahead of Southern Armstrong presentation
Kiski Township is the latest municipality to consider folding its police force into the Southern Armstrong Regional Police Department. Southern Armstrong police officers and the department’s commissioners will hold an information session with Kiski Township police Chief Lee Bartolicius at 7 p.m. Monday at the Kiski Township Municipal Building. The...
